Victoria

Melbourne's trams to be powered by proposed large-scale solar plant

MELBOURNE'S tram network will be powered by a new large-scale solar plant, with the State Government last week announcing plans for a tender to help build 75 megawatts of new large-scale solar farms, which is expected to deliver $150 million in new capital investment and 300 new jobs.

Around 35 megawatts of the new solar farms will be linked to Melbourne's tram network, and the government said it will voluntarily surrender renewable energy certificates matching the amount of electricity used by all of Melbourne's trams.

Above: Tram on Swanston Street, Melbourne / by rubixcom.

"We will use our purchasing power as a large energy consumer to boost investment in renewables and create new jobs for Victorians," said Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D'Ambrosio.

"We're positioning Victoria as a leader in climate change, by reducing emissions and adapting to the impacts."

The open tender will be run in the first half of 2017 to build Victoria's first large-scale solar farms by the end of 2018.

The proposal is expected to result in a reduction of more than 80,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions every year, and helps to keep Victoria on track to meet its target of net-zero emissions by 2050.